# Smoking with Bells Palsy...



## Gronk Bronson (Jun 16, 2011)

Two weeks ago I had a strange ear ache. I have never had an ear ache before but I had been in the pool the night before and thought I may have some water still in my ear. The next day I noticed one side of my face was numb. After ruling out I wasn't having a stroke, I went to see my doctor. He told me I had Bells Palsy...

This sucks!!!! First, my face looks like it's dropping off of my skull. I have to tape my eye ball shut at night to keep it from drying out, but the worst thing is I can't close my mouth tight enough to make a good draw on a cigar!! 

Last Saturday I decided to try and light one up. I hadn't smoked since I first was diagnosed. So I drafted up a cold one, lit the barbecue,grabbed a Gurkha Monogram Torpedo and tried to light it up. I knew right away not being able to close my lips on the right side of my face tightly was going to be a problem. Eventually I was able to work through it but, not a real enjoyable smoke if you know what I mean. My doctors have told me this can last anywhere from 3 to 6 or more weeks but, it looks like my cigar smoking will have to wait until I have recovered. 

Anyone else ever have to deal with this??


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## kozzman555 (Sep 10, 2011)

Goddamn that sucks man. Sorry to hear that. At least your doctor said the condition is temporary. I've never heard of that before and hope you get better soon!


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## neil (Aug 21, 2011)

wow man, that sucks. im sorry to hear about that. i dont have any advice or anything, but i wish you a speedy recovery! good luck!


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## anonobomber (Aug 29, 2011)

I hope your recovery from this is quick. A good friend of mine came down with the exact same thing 1 week ago. He's having a tough time so I have a feel for what you're going through. Think positive! I'm sure it'll work itself out.


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## raycarlo (Apr 25, 2011)

A good friend of mine had that in highschool over a decade ago, back then it lasted a few weeks, visited him about a month ago and he had it again, this time it lasted a little over a month, he said it's mostly just very annoying and but it will eventually pass, hang in there, just think about how good your cigar will be when you're finally able to.


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## bcannon87 (Sep 8, 2010)

I hate to hear the brother! I will be praying for a speedy recovery so you can get back to some fine cigars!!


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## jjjoseph (Sep 10, 2011)

I had this around 5 years ago. It started off with my eye twitching and then sort of took off from there. I ended up getting this gel type stuff for my eyes to keep it from drying up and it worked out pretty good. I'd suggest looking into that instead of taping yours shut. Mine didn't last anywhere near 3-6 weeks but, more like 1 week or so. Just give it time and it will go away on its own :thumb:


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## owaindav (Mar 7, 2010)

Yeah, a guy I used to work with had this happen. He recovered fully. Also we had a weather man on our local channel that had it happen pretty bad. He still went on the air and did the weather. He's retired now but I believe he recovered more like the 6 weeks.

When the guy at work had it, I did some research and found that it can be caused by an ear infection or any kind of infection in the area of the nerves that control the face. But most people recover fully from it. Not sure what else can cause it.

Hope yours only lasts a couple days and no more! Hang in there.


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

Man that's awful!
If ya can tape yer eyeball shut,
mebbie ya can tape a cigar in yer mouth. :mrgreen:


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## skfr518 (Jul 4, 2011)

Wow, thats just crazy!!ccSorry to hear about that brother, get well soon!


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## Strickland (Feb 15, 2011)

Never even heard of it before. Glad to hear it's only temporary though!


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## anonobomber (Aug 29, 2011)

I was reading some more about this and it turns out that George Clooney had the same thing when he was a kid. It went away (obviously) and now he's just fine. Pierce Brosnan is another familiar name who has had it.


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## gibson_es (Jan 23, 2010)

Go to home depot and get a filtered mask, drill a hole and insert stogie.


Seriously though. Sorry to hear. But at least it will go away. I never heard of this. 

Now is the time to buy more sticks, get you a good pile going!


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## stock93pgt (Jan 3, 2011)

lol, i got the bells, i got mines two yrs ago, right after i got laid off, my right side of my face looked droopy, it did get better but still drooped esp my eye lid, hearing went kinda too but came back. then................two yrs later i had a stroke and drooped again! as well as losing the use of my whole right side!and i am a righty! it has been since april 13 since my stroke and i am not recovered yet, i can walk "like a walking dead" lol i will never get the use of my right arm/hand and my face still droops. but this will not stop me from enjoying a good smoke! i even had a slurred speech during the droopiness lol.but after time the droop will go away, not complety tho.i think i took a pic of myself with a smoke in my mouth and posted it in the pic section. if you see it, i look high lol.page 38 of smoking action and the topic was pic of you smoking a cigar.


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## stock93pgt (Jan 3, 2011)

oh, and the constant tearing on that side of the eye too! sometimes it looks like in crying! tear rolling down my cheek lol. lets say i dont go out often, havent been to my local b & m since the stroke. i go out shopping with the fam to walmart, but i stay in the car and smoke one. me and walking dont get far now days


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## stock93pgt (Jan 3, 2011)

there is one thing that helped alot when i first got it before the stroke, vita b+ and rub that side of the face really good several times a day and chewing gum. work them muscles!


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## Michigan_Moose (Oct 11, 2011)

Very sorry to hear about your situation. I wish you a speedy recovery.


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## taxedman (Dec 10, 2010)

I've had bell's palsy twice. The nerves that control facial movement pass through small canals in the bone behind your ear....for some unknown reason (really), those nerves swell causing constriction and then paralysis. Even the lines in my forehead (one side) disappeared....think Botox. Anyway, I have lost a very small amount of range of movement, not really noticeable and doesn't affect daily life. Jeff, you did not mention any meds? I took prednisone (steroid) to reduce the swelling, and the second time added an anti-viral, because one of the causes may be due to the type of herpes virus that can go dormant in your nervous system....often after having chickenpox. Speedy recovery bro!


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## stock93pgt (Jan 3, 2011)

hmm, i didnt get any swelling from this all tho about aweek ago i got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and was wrapped up in my blanket and tried to get it off and my hand slipped and i clocked myself on that side of my face and nearly KOed myself, next morning my face looked very swollen lol


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## Hambone1 (May 31, 2011)

I had a case of Bells Palsy about 6 years ago. I noticed it happening one evening and I went to show my wife, I tried to smile at her and it totally freaked her out. I wasn't in any pain or anything. The wife immediately took me to the emergency room, she thought I might be having a stroke. They took me back, ran some test, then came back and gave me a shot of something. Can't tell you what it was. But within 2 days my face was back. The nurse said they see it a lot in pregnant women. WTF!


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## 68 Lotus (Jan 13, 2011)

Maybe a Mouthpiece would help out?!

Musings on Life in General: The Ultimate Cigar Mouthpiece


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## sdlaird (Mar 15, 2011)

anonobomber said:


> I was reading some more about this and it turns out that George Clooney had the same thing when he was a kid. It went away (obviously) and now he's just fine. Pierce Brosnan is another familiar name who has had it.


Sorry to hear about the Bells, man. Like everybody else, I have a good friend go through this about 6 months ago. It passes. I assume the doc put you on some steroids. Bulk up!

Also, on a positive note, from ^^^^ maybe you will come out of this better looking!!:rockon::rockon:


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## Gronk Bronson (Jun 16, 2011)

I wanted to say thank you to all the brothers out there for the well wishes and also to those who could share some experience with this. I have taken Prednisone and Valtrex for a week. After that my doctor says there really isn't any meds that will just make it go away. With all the advances in medical science this one still has them puzzled. They just don't know what makes the nerve in behind the ear swell up to cause this. Some think it may be stress related and others think it could be wind or other irritations to the ear canal. They believe it may be a herpes type virus but then again they really don't know. All I know is....it sucks!!! 

Thanks again and as soon as I can smoke(and enjoy it) I will let you know!!


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## fishfarmer (Aug 7, 2011)

Good luck Jeff, I hope You have a speedy recovery. Sometimes we tend to forget how lucky we are. At least it's only tempory.


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